One of my favorite wastes of time, even after all these years, is to scroll through my Instagram feed. It’s usually filled with a slew of animals exotic and feline, longtime musical favorites, new and recent finds—from folky to jazzy to soulful—plus talented artistic painters. The algorithm ebbs and flows, of course, sometimes showing too much of one category and not enough of another, but either/or is usually okay when or if a short- or long-form video of Kalamazoo, MI-based Payton&Annabelle (Payton Fae and Annabelle Fuerst) appears.
The two young women met in an Academy of Rock classroom years ago, forged a friendship over mutual musical interests, and released a sterling debut album, For the Willows, in 2024. In the few years between then and now, they’ve continued to cultivate their talents by playing at clubs throughout Southwest Michigan. Some of those shows focus on their engaging originals; others are Simon & Garfunkel-themed nights. Harps and Sashes, their sophomore set, is a continuation of and extension of their folk sound, most notably on the brassy “Make It Last,” about not wanting a good night to end, the torchy “Swept Off My Feet,” and jazzy “Roses,” which is a song in search of a Broadway musical. “If I’m Not Your Girlfriend” opens with a Zeppelin-like guitar motif before bending deep into the blues, while the rockin’ “High Society” is a pointed protest against the powers-that-be.
There’s plenty of folky (and oft-bittersweet) delights, too, including the S&G-flavored “Late Spring Day,” “Octaves” and “For the Man Who Sang Along,” with the latter looking out from the stage and imagining the lives of those at their shows; it’s a heartfelt portrait of those who escape the daily drudgery (and dashed dreams) of their lives through music. “Gentle to Me” is a stirring acoustic ode that sounds ripped from a diary. Album closer “Love Laced in Its Ashes” is another glistening gem, with its poetic lyrics and intertwined vocals things of beauty.
The album is available to stream from all the usual suspects.
(Payton will soon be the only living girl in Kalamazoo, as Annabelle is joining the stage band for the touring production of the musical Waitress, for which she’ll be playing cello and second guitar. As a result, outside of the occasional one-off, the two won’t be performing together for the next nine months. It’ll be interesting to see how their experiences apart shape their sound.)
The Old Grey Cat 